Device and method for a vehicle

Abstract

A device for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine which drives a transmission, via an automated clutch. The transmission has one or more continuous or stepped variable ratios and the vehicle has a coasting cutoff signal. While coasting, the coasting cutoff signal can interrupt the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine and, upon reaching or falling below a previously defined rotational speed, causes the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine is resumed. The transmission has, In addition to the gear ratios needed for driving, coasting ratios for operating the transmission with a coasting cutoff signal, which enables lower reduction ratios than the ratios for the driving operation in order to reduce the drag torque of the internal combustion engine that acts on the output. The additional ratios are either stepped or continuously variable.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . A device for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine operatively connected with a transmission via an automated clutch, the transmission having at least one of continuously variable ratios and stepped variable ratios and the internal combustion engine generating a possible coasting cutoff signal which, during a coasting operation of the vehicle, produces an interruption of a supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine and upon one of reaching and falling below a previously defined restored rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, effects a restoration of the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine, and at least one electronic control unit being available in the vehicle for receiving, processing and emitting signals based on data of the vehicle,
 wherein, in addition to driving ratios provided in the transmission for driving of the vehicle, coasting ratios are provided for a coasting operation with coasting cutoff signal, the coasting ratios provide lower reduction ratios than the driving ratios for the driving operation, which reduce a drag torque of the internal combustion engine acting on an output, and the coasting ratios are one of stepped variable ratios and continuously variable ratios.   
   
   
       12 . The device for a motor vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein an additional brake and a device, for producing the coasting ratios, is one of integrated in the transmission, located, in a direction of power flow, before the transmission and behind the transmission and integrated with the additional brake. 
   
   
       13 . The device for a motor vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein a pre-selection element, for the additional brake and the coasting ratios, is connected with the electronic control unit such that the pre-selection element is adjustable, from a first position, to one of a second position for increasing a braking resistance of the additional brake and a third position for one of reducing the driving ratio of the transmission and selecting the coasting ratio. 
   
   
       14 . The device for a motor vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the pre-selection element returns to the first position at least from a position at which drag torque of the vehicle acting upon the output is reduced. 
   
   
       15 . The device for a motor vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the pre-selection element of the additional brake is one of a swivel lever, a rotary lever and a traction/pressure lever. 
   
   
       16 . A method of controlling a device for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine operatively connected with a transmission via an automated clutch, the transmission having at least one of continuously variable ratios and stepped variable ratios and the internal combustion engine generating a possible coasting cutoff signal which, during a coasting operation of the vehicle, produces an interruption in a supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine and upon one of reaching and falling below a previously defined restored rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, effects a restoration of the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine, at least one electronic control unit being available in the vehicle for receiving, processing and emitting signals based on data of the vehicle, and in addition to driving ratios provided in the transmission for driving of the vehicle, coasting ratios are provided for coasting operation with coasting cutoff signal, the coasting ratios make lower reduction ratios possible than the driving ratios for the driving operation, for reducing a drag torque of the internal combustion engine acting on an output, the coasting ratios are one of stepped variable ratios and continuously variable ratios, the method comprising the step of:
 utilizing values for adjusting one of a cruise control and an adaptive cruise control to electronically control the coasting operation.   
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of terminating the coasting operation of the vehicle depending on at least one of a temperature of the internal combustion engine and an action of a driver upon driving conditions. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of defining the previously defined restored rotational speed of the internal combustion engine at a rotational speed below an idling rotational speed, 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of, at a rotational speed below an idling rotational speed, disengaging the automatic clutch, located between the internal combustion engine and the transmission, when the supply of fuel is reconnected to the internal combustion engine. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of defining the previously defined restored rotational speed of the internal combustion engine as being higher than a lower rotational speed threshold, at which at least one auxiliary power units of the motor vehicle driven. 
   
   
       21 . A method for controlling drive of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine coupled, via a clutch, to one of a continuously variable transmission and multi-gear transmission, the internal combustion engine communicating with a fuel supply which has a coasting fuel cutoff, the method comprising the steps of:
 monitoring signals of the vehicle with an electronic control unit to determine when the vehicle is coasting;   directing the coasting fuel cutoff with the electronic control unit to disconnect the supply of fuel from the internal combustion engine when the electronic control unit determines that the vehicle is coasting;   reducing transmission ratios to lower than driving ratios when the coasting fuel cutoff is directed to disconnect the supply of fuel from the internal combustion engine for reducing drag torque of the internal combustion engine on an output of the vehicle; and   reconnecting the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine when, as determined by the electronic control unit, a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is one of essentially equal to and below a predefined rotational speed.